Besitos
by naturally morbid
Summary: AU. SasuHina. Sasuke goes out for a reluctant night of fun at a gentleman's club and finds he is smitten with one of the dancers. Hinata is working her way through college, now that she is on her own, and the last thing she wants is a relationship with one of the Uchiha brothers, much less anyone knowing about her night job. But when the two collide, sparks fly and a course is set.
1. Chapter 1: Sasuke

**Author's Note** : Au. Sasuke/Hinata. I've never written them together, so this is going to be an experience. This is going to be a bit dark and very mature. Just be warned.

Sasuke goes out for a reluctant night of fun at a gentleman's club and finds he is smitten with one of the dancers. Hinata is working her way through college, now that she is on her own, and the last thing she wants is a relationship with one of the Uchiha brothers, much less anyone knowing about her night job. But when the two collide, sparks fly and a course is set.

Besitos = kisses (Spanish) Sorry, it was wrong before, thank you to the anon reviewer - damn autocorrect!

 _You're my favorite explosion._

 _(You know the only real way to cure pain is to add a little more,  
because everything new distracts the old.)_

 _-Pierce the Veil "Besitos"_

Besitos

Chapter One: Sasuke

 **Sasuke**

Sasuke Uchiha's eyes had trouble following one moment to the next as they waded through the scantily-clad, alcoholic sea of women and girls accompanied by less than reputable men. The flashy clothing caught the bright lights like miniature walking disco balls and refracted back, blinding his view.

"Come on, we need a night off," a comrade insisted as he hung on his shoulders heavily.

"I don't think this is the place though Uzumaki," he mumbled, trying not to get jostled by another patron. The other man shouted something about nonsense as they grabbed a seat near one of the back stages.

It was so dark in the audience that he could scarcely see where to walk, relying on others to lead him. He glanced at his friend Sai, to see if he could decipher what the quiet man was thinking. Sai had his head stuck in an artbook, hardly aware of his surroundings. This wasn't his cup of green tea either.

Sasuke looked ahead to see that Naruto and Rock Lee appeared to be right at home. He knew that Rock Lee's guardians would just die if they knew what their ward was actually up to when he was away at college.

Sasuke and Sai very rarely took any interest in dating or relationships, being very focused on studying and finishing degrees. Still, they were dragged to places such as these on rare occasions after work because Naruto felt they were lonely.

He could smell heavy alcohol for miles, mixed with the sickly-sweet scent of years upon years of cigar smoke and male excretions. He would probably burn his shoes and any other articles of clothing that touched the floor here, just in case.

The chairs were rickety as they were seated, wobbling and threatening to fall from all the stress of men being excited. He tried not to touch them, sitting on the edge no matter how his back would probably feel. He could have left, he and Sai both could have left, gone to their respectable homes and left these two alone.

It wouldn't have been the nicest thing to do, but they could have. It so happened he was the designated driver and Sai was along for support. Sasuke was grateful for his quiet accompaniment.

But deep down, he was really darkly curious to see what kinds of things were done at such establishments. It was a secret, human fantasy that he wished he could outgrow. He couldn't outgrow hormones or being a man.

"What can I get you to drink?" an older woman shouted in their ears. She probably wasn't as old as she appeared, but had aged from this environment. Sasuke merely shook his head, most likely looking queasy to her for she left him alone immediately. He didn't hear her ask Sai for anything and moved on to the other two.

His eyes scanned the stages anxiously; wanting the night to be over as soon as possible so he could return to his normal life. There were other shows going on further back, men drooling and heavily entranced for women who put the same show on every night.

He glanced nervously at his lap, his hands folded quietly so as not to draw attention to them. He tried to concentrate on the scattered music, trying to pick out songs he might know or beats he wanted to remember. But it was like being in a foreign land.

So he waited; occasionally glancing at Rock Lee or Naruto, then back to Sai, as if Sai was going to change. Sai was not fazed in the least. Not because he didn't care, but because he knew his opinion mattered little.

A heavy beat thudded close to his chest as the lights dimmed except for the stage, which encased itself in purple and blue. His eyes caught the movement of a young body moving just off to the side. He could see the ruffles of a skirt and the bow of a thigh high before the body moved closer.

She kept her head lowered, though he wasn't sure if it was out of shyness or part of the act. But when she didn't lift her eyes as she touched the pole, he figured it was out of shame, something different altogether. She carried her shoulders as someone who was deeply humiliated.

Her sharp black closed-toe heels clacked rhythmically across the polished hardwood floor, her probably pale legs hidden with black thigh highs with a single pink bow at the top of each. What muscles they had hidden in them! Probably from gripping the pole night after night.

The black and purple ruffled material of the skirt hardly kept her from view, allowing the suggestion of what treasures might be lurking beneath. She wasn't a thin girl, like the others, allowing some meat on her frame, with her gracious thighs.

Her stomach still held a bit of a cute paunch, baby fat, showing her age, but her top showed exactly how womanly she already was with its mesh and lace allowing glimpses. Dark hair tumbled around her face, rolling past her shoulders to the crest of her derrière like a curtain.

Sasuke was sure he was infatuated as he tried to make a sound and alert Sai to her presence. She didn't seem to notice they were there, but not in a cold manner. It was more like she was ashamed and tried not to envision herself there instead.

He could see lines and color on her left side as she gripped the gold pole with her right hand, spinning away from it, hidden under her hair. It looked like possibly a geisha woman in traditional clothing. The ink crawled along her side and back in wonderful colors. He hadn't seen a job like that since Sai's apprentice works.

Subconsciously she moved her left arm across her stomach as she swung around again, her eyes closed and her head gently tilted back for the music.

She was art.

Her hands changed directions in mid-air as she gripped with her left and swung with her right. She was free, free as a bird or a butterfly. The dark hair swished around her hips for another rotation before one of her silky legs grabbed the pole firmly, halting the motion.

Sasuke noticed how she commanded every eye in the room for a second, even Sai's. He could see the other man's eyes watching her every move now as well. It was rare that a woman was able to do that, other than ones in lines and colors.

She paused, as if for dramatic emphasis, but Sasuke could tell it was out of nervousness by the way her knees shook, and her head dropped again. The inside of her thighs grinded against the brass of the pole, but they could see her grimace.

Compared with the other girls, she was choppy instead of fluid and seductive as she was supposed to be advertising. Rock Lee and Naruto heckled her, though they still held cash out.

Sasuke almost swore that he could see her carrying a sword if she stayed like that much longer. The position, her features, and the lighting gave her a very 'Sin City' sort of air, dangerous. That was much more attractive than her body. Her mysterious air, the fact they couldn't see her face, made her that much more alluring.

She pumped her hips against the pole, a mocking gesture as she rose and swung again. Both hands gripped the brass, her back to them as she sank into the crouch again, her rear end grinding the cold metal.

She turned back away from them again, sinking and swishing faster, before she hooked her legs around the pole and began to climb with both hands, one over the other her head tilted back, and suspended herself over the wooden floor by only her legs and one arm.

She spun and danced, shaking her hips and buttocks as she sank and rose. Her hair was a windmill of surprise as she walked around or rubbed her hands on her own clothing and body. Sasuke thought his favorite part was when she would grip the pole tightly with both hands and rotate to the floor with both legs on the same side.

It actually looked like fun, as long as he didn't let the other guys know that.

He glanced around the club, noting that other dancers now had their tops off, giving their patrons a little shake. His dancer didn't touch her thin top much. She gave the men a little shake, her bounteous breasts jiggling just enough to get them excited at the possibility that the top might come undone.

Moving away her antics on the pole for her second song, the young woman rotated her hips in time with her head, beautiful waves of thick hair cascading down. She bent at the waist and snapped her body up rubbing back up her knees and thighs, undulating a few times. She slipped down to the floor, arching her body and giving them an up-close view of the lace top.

Sasuke felt his groin tighten as he leaned forward, anxious to see what she was going to do next.

Rolling over on her back, she thrust her hips up a few times – a tiny moan escaping with the effort. Next, she pumped her legs up in the air, bringing them down sensuously and carefully before rolling back onto her knees. The young woman gave them a shake of her assets again, bringing her hands to bear on her delicious chest, squeezing her breasts together tightly.

And before Sasuke knew it, the music was ending. She gave them one more thrust of her backside before she began collecting her meager tips. Naruto and Rock threw their money onto the stage, whistling.

Sasuke didn't know what happened to him, as if under some type of spell, he had reached in his wallet and taken out an amount as well, throwing it up to her.

Under the curtain of hair, he saw the barest of sweet smiles as she pushed the money down into the right hip of her costume and disappeared. The MC was saying something – her stage name? Lavender Lotus? He filed the name away for later.

The next succession of dancers were clearly more experienced, Sasuke could tell the difference in their calculated movements – their age.

That first dancer had been very young, probably college age. His age. She might even be one of his classmates.

That was an interesting thought. Sasuke had heard of girls putting themselves through college doing odd jobs; trying to make ends meet. He knew he was lucky, a scholarship and a job with a firm pushing papers around when he wasn't at class.

By the end of the night, Naruto and Rock were hammered. With a longsuffering sigh, he hauled Naruto to his feet and assisting him out of "The Den of Sin" as it was so named. It was a den alright, Sasuke thought.

Behind him, Sai was having some difficulty rounding Rock Lee up, who was now singing drunkenly at the top of his lungs. That had started after a few more rounds. Sai was all but "fireman" carrying him now over his shoulder.

"We shouldn't let these two drink ever again," Sasuke said under his breath to Sai as they pushed both of their charges into the backseat. Their friends ended up in some sort of pitiful heap.

"We shouldn't, but I bet they will," Sai said neatly, as he climbed in the front seat.

On the drive home, it required all of Sasuke's concentration. By the time he reached his own home, he was too tired to even think about the dancer again as he collapsed on the couch.


	2. Chapter 2: Hinata

**Author's Note:** Thank you for all the reviews and taking a chance on this story. Also thank you for suggesting edits and pointing out errors. I really appreciate it! I'm probably going to do chapters from each perspective for a little while, at least until they start to form a relationship.

So just hang in there, this is more a fleshing out chapter for Hinata.

I always appreciate ideas for things you would like to see, whether it is in this story or is a one-shot side thing. There will be some relationship with Itachi in this, but it is eventual SasuHina, so please bear with me.

 **Disclaimer:** Nothing is mine.

 **Besitos**

Chapter Two: Hinata

 **Hinata**

She turned on the pedestal, her heels gripping the floor just enough that her own personal center of gravity kept her from wobbling into the waiting arms who would tear her clothing from her body.

Delicate and well-adjusted curves sliced through the thick air to the heavy, seductive beats. She was her own swaying world. Smooth-muscled, slender arms and developed thighs could support their own weight through a twirl or two.

She ignored all of the noise, focusing only on her own self-confidence and track; a swing with either her left or right arm felt almost like flying if she closed her decorated eyelids and concentrated enough. She often likened herself to one of the fabulous circus performers.

And why not? Lights and color, sound, decorations, tricks, performances. They could all be the same thing.

She didn't want to do the things the other girls did with their bodies. She didn't want the meager clothing to come free or to grind on the cool metal for a holler. She didn't want to sink to their level so that their grubby, cash filled hands could fondle her skin.

She wanted to be the bird on the pedestal, beautiful but unreachable, and so she spun again allowing her dark hair to fall free around her shoulders.

Most of the time Hinata Hyuga rarely paid attention to her patrons, except to accept their tips when she was finished. Up until a few months ago, she had been perfectly fine with working as a bar maid. Until her rent had gone up again.

The meager scholarship she received covered her school expenses now, but not her living ones. She had ended up in this dive after the disagreement with her father, about what she would or wouldn't do at college.

Her father had wanted her to be like him, a business man. Hinata couldn't bring herself to live that kind of life, constantly being away from her family, valuing money over all else. Writing was her comfort, her escape.

And apparently, it was good enough to get her into college on her own.

But, it didn't put food on the table fast enough. Yeah, she freelanced articles and ghostwrote when there was time, but the club had been a fast solution, a temporary fix.

Damn her landlord, the city. It was still the same sad apartment on the cheap side of town. Well, it had been the cheap side; now it was nearly double. Next semester she might be able to apply for one of the dorms again; she would even put up with a roommate if it didn't mean doing the things she did for money.

Hinata hated this job; loathed that men, and some women, only noticed her body and what she could do with it. She couldn't keep the shame out of her routine, the shyness about showing off her body. When Hinata looked in the mirror, she still saw a slightly podgy girl who was a little too pasty.

Going to the beach in her bathing suit was one thing, but trying to seduce patrons was another. She just didn't have the confidence yet. This job had no coworkers, but merely competitors. Hinata couldn't trust any of the girls and didn't try to get close to them. In fact, she spent the least amount of time she could with them, didn't try to form bonds.

Tonight had started out as just another typical night, until she spotted who was at her station.

No. No, no, no!

One of the Uchiha brothers, famous at her college, was sitting at the very edge of his seat looking extremely bored and displeased with his surroundings.

What was he doing here? Didn't he have to somewhere better to be?

Her movements faltered. Hinata's nerves usually seemed to get the best of her at least once a shift, but this was worse. Her routine had stopped for a second, as she tried to figure out what to do next to keep her face hidden. What if he figured out who she was?

Hinata's floor routine was busy, keeping her hair spins, focusing on moving her body in a way that she knew would draw attention from her face. She knew she was nowhere near as experienced as the other girls; she didn't like coming in early to practice, preferring to keep things as job-like as possible.

If she could just loosen up, find her stride again. Towards the end of her music, she could feel the tension leaving, even letting out a little moan when she thrusted her hips up.

Not too much longer on her shift tonight, she kept telling herself. Sasuke Uchiha would go home and be none the wiser, that one of his classmates had been next to naked in front of him.

She collected her money from his two, loud friends – Naruto and Rock Lee and started to leave when the younger Uchiha's hand outstretched towards her with a sizable amount of cash. He threw it on the stage, clearly under the influence of her alter ego, Lavender Lotus.

"Lavender" smiled at him and scooped the tip up into her waistband before hustling off the stage. In the wings, another dancer was warming up.

Hinata excused herself to the bar for a drink of water. She didn't trust the water left back stage when she had gotten sick on one of her first or second nights working. This nightclub lifestyle was pretty cutthroat.

Although Hinata looked innocent and naïve, she had done her research before switching from a barmaid to a dancer. She kept only the necessities in her locker, including all of her makeup and costumes – to avoid sabotage. Her money stayed in a zippered pouch on her person at all times.

As an independent contractor, Hinata essentially made her own hours and rules, which was a lot nicer than when she was a barmaid and completely dependent on a manager. However, that made her completely responsible for her take now, trying to charm strangers into parting with their hard-earned cash.

Never in a million years had she pictured herself doing this to survive.

But, it would be worth it.

"Fresh bottle of water," she told the barkeep, Genma, as she leaned against the bar.

"Coming right up!" He switched the senbon from one side of his mouth to the other as he opened a small cooler and grabbed a frosty bottle out for her.

She pushed the money towards him, sipping gratefully.

"You were working hard up there, Lavender," he said.

"Yeah, thanks." No matter how attractive other workers were, Hinata had studied that getting close to them could be career suicide, not to mention downright dangerous. No one in the club knew her real name and she intended on keeping it that way and only one person outside knew.

"You know, you would make more money if you would go private." Genma had been at the club for a long time and Hinata trusted his advice, but she remained firmly resistant.

"I know, but no thanks."

"Just keep it in mind."

She nodded, turning to watch some of the other performances. Hinata had experience in dance, but it was like she had trouble applying that knowledge once she was up on stage.

If she had calculated right, her take-home tonight once the bouncers and the club were paid would be about $150. Not too bad, but she would have to work every night to get enough.

Looking over the heads of the patrons, she could see the Uchiha and his friends at the smaller stage. She sipped at her water for one song, finishing the bottle. Sweat beaded unpleasantly everywhere, dripping between her cleavage, running down her back. Time to get back to work.

Forcing herself, she tried to walk seductively between the tables, looking for someone on his own to chat up, maybe offer a lap dance to. Those weren't so bad out on the main floor, as long as she didn't think too hard about what her ultimate goal was, the tented fabric, the hardness, straining to be free.

A man was seated alone, watching the main stage – the blond enchantress, as the other girls called her.

Hating herself for what she was about to say next, Hinata pressed forward anyway: "Would you like to watch a show or feel a show?"

As her customer said yes, it never ceased to amaze her how cheesy things worked in this environment. If that line had been said in the outside world, Hinata pondered, as she began to gyrate over his expectant lap, it would never have worked.

But now, she was twisting and rubbing her thick derriere over his quickly hardening member, for money no less. Her customer was appreciative, fitting in little bits of money wherever he could reach, mostly her waistband.

A few more customers like him and she was closer to her $200 mark. Hinata was careful to avoid the area where she had last seen the Uchiha until the end of her shift.

After changing, paying up, and having a bouncer watch her walk to the bus station, Hinata let her thoughts turn to other things. Like what Uchiha Sasuke was doing in her club with his friends. She recognized Sai as well.

Her tattoo, the geisha woman had come from his shop; she couldn't remember if he was there at the time or not. The tattoo, concealed carefully under her clothes most of the time, had been of her own design and a gift to herself for making it into the writing program.

Now, she worried it might get her identified and let the cat out of the bag. Then she reasoned that she was being crazy, because Sai never said anything to anyone. At least, she didn't think so.

Hinata's head was pounding; it had been a long night, as usual and she wanted nothing more than to go home and collapse in her bed. She couldn't; there was a certain ritual that had to be performed to wash off the stink her endeavors.

The shower was the only thing besides Hinata's bed that got a lot of use. Lathering up with her favorite vanilla soap, Hinata began the process of scrubbing away Lavender Lotus. She never seemed to be able to clear all of the glitter away.

Her muscles were aching, now that she had taken time to sit down longer than a couple of minutes. Allowing herself a few moments of selfish recovery, Hinata just enjoyed the water splashing down on her. She touched the flashy color of her tattoo, tracing the lines running down from her ribcage, to her hip.

Funny, she never worried about her own needs when it came to getting a rise out of men, Hinata guessed because it was her job.

Hinata had never really been with a man. She had of course explored her own body, especially when she was stressed out about assignments. There had been offers at the club, even when she was a barmaid, but Hinata did not see herself as a one-night stand girl.

When she was ready, Hinata wanted a relationship – she wanted to lose herself to someone who loved her.

The water was growing chilly. Reluctantly, she hauled herself out of the shower and toweled off. The air in her apartment was warm and she dressed in just a shirt and shorts, wrapping her wet hair up into a towel.

It was nearly 1 am and Hinata supposed she really needed to eat something. Consulting her beat-up refrigerator, she found a stick of cheese and some mayo. It was better than nothing. Tomorrow she would have to fit time in to go pick up a few groceries.

Her cell phone "beeped" as she sat down with her "dinner." It was from her friend, Itachi. Another reason not to get too close to the younger Uchiha, when she was already friends – _maybe more, with the older one._

 _Did you make it home okay?_

She smiled and sent: _Yes. Just out of the shower._

 _Oh really? Tired? ;p_

Hinata was used to this kind of flirting from him.

 _Yes. Very. Eating cheese and mayo because there is nothing else left._ She bit her lip and debated on whether or not to tell him what his younger brother had been up to.

 _Hinata! How about I take you grocery shopping after class?_

 _You can come with me, if you want,_ she told him; the mayo was starting to feel like not a great idea. She didn't want to give up her independence, people dictating what she would do.

 _Okay. After class then? Lunch, my treat. I won't take no._

 _Fine. Tomorrow._

Hinata put the mayo back in the fridge and lay down on her bed. It got plenty of use, but not in the way most people tended to think. It was one of her few pieces of furniture, so it doubled as a couch and a table.

She didn't have class until 8 am and it was mostly just working on her writing project. The college was a few blocks away, so she set an alarm for 7:15. There was no point in getting up too early, with no food in the flat. She decided maybe she could just treat herself to a muffin on the way there.

Grabbing her laptop, one of her few precious possessions, Hinata began adding a little more to her writing project. The professor, Asuma, had said write what you know best, so her tale was a somewhat sad one.

The main heroine had lost her mother at a very young age and had to help raise a younger sister with a man who asked for too much – to be the best, to reach the highest even for his love. The heroine leaves home and tries to support herself by doing anything she can. But she ends up enslaved, working for carnal pleasures until a prince shows up to save her. Sometime along the way the heroine realizes that this prince is not going to save her either.

Hinata started typing her latest thoughts from work, as her character: Lotus.

 _Lotus could see the lust in the man's eyes, his pupils dilated. How she longed to plunge a knife through one of them. That would be a bigger surprise, one that she would enjoy. Making men's cocks hard? It was only a job; these men were just money to her, a means to an end. One day, she would make her escape – either by the blade of a knife thrust deep into someone's belly, or because someone was going to save her._

 _Lotus rubbed her athletic body against his throbbing member, the material of his breeches was coarse against her bare bottom. He stank of cheap ale and smoke. She used her warrior senses to block the smell out – replaced it with blood, what she imagined his blood smelled like. Lotus even allowed herself a little moan as she swept her auburn hair back and forth across his lap._

 _Her warrior's training aided her, let her focus her senses on just getting the job done. One day, she would leave she kept telling herself, like a battle chant. She would no longer be enslaved to these men. Doing what was necessary, she untied this one's breeches and lowered her mouth…._

Hinata woke up, wiped the drool from the side of her mouth and put her laptop away properly, so that it would ready for a few hours later.

Not surprisingly, Hinata woke up late after hitting "snooze" on her phone about half a dozen times. She pulled on her leggings and a light jacket – purple and white, threw her hair up into a messy bun, and grabbed her things.

The bakery on the way had one fresh blueberry muffin left. Hinata hastily ate it as she jogged down to class. She might be a minute or two late, but that was better than not showing up at all.

Hinata ticked off the things she had to do after classes: lunch, grocery shop, exercise, write, and then go to work. Oh and sleep. Had to fit that in sometime.

Luckily, she was not too far from finishing. One more semester and she would be done. Just make it through the rest of these classes and into Spring, then she would walk with everyone else.

Peeking into the classroom, she could see that Asuma had not shown up yet. Relief flooded through her as she entered and took her seat near the back of the room and started working.

After about 15 minutes, someone came and said the class was cancelled. Hinata breathed a sigh of relief. That took some pressure off. The Student Union had some nice alcoves where Hinata hid out and finished her latest chapter, before emailing it in anyway and heading to her 2nd class.

In order to graduate, she had to take one statistics class, because everyone needed statistics. In her exhaustion last night, Hinata hadn't thought about the fact that Sasuke was in her class. Cold sweat dripped down between her shoulder blades.

It was a bigger class, around 40 or so compared to her smaller writing and English ones. Perhaps, if she got there early as usual, he wouldn't even notice her in the back. Statistics wasn't her best subject by a long reach but luckily Itachi could help her.

Hinata had lucked out meeting Itachi at the school in a writing group. They wrote completely different genres, his all spy thriller and hers fantasy, but he seemed to be of the same mind. They had bonded over late night coffees and story exchanges.

He was the only one that Hinata could trust with her double-life; the only one who understood. His father had no idea that he was involved in creative writing, that he had self-published one book already with some minor success.

Itachi worked at a law firm now, in the business district. Hinata had to confess she didn't know exactly what he spent his days doing – research she had heard, but his nights were for writing. She knew that once he got off work most nights, he was banging out stories on his keyboard.

Of course, a part of her wondered if he was doing anything else in front of the computer, or with banging. She wouldn't doubt it. Itachi was good-looking and he knew it. That's why she found herself melting around him sometimes.

In the statistics room, there were a few students already milling around. She took her usual seat near the back and waited with bated breath.

A few minutes later, Sasuke came in, surrounded as usual by a few giggling girls and Naruto. They took seats near the front. That was good. She could just look at the back of his head, like normal.

Nope, his head was moving, scanning around. Hinata ducked her head down, covering her face with her hair and hoping for the best. A few seconds later, she looked up. Good, he was facing the front again. Perfect, stay that way.

Soon class started. Their teacher, Iruka, was energetic but still Hinata could feel herself trying not to drift off taking notes. Her late nights were starting to take a toll and she had skipped her coffee.

"Miss Hyuga?" he asked, pointing at her in the back of the room. She nearly fell out of her chair.

"Hm?" Everyone, including Sasuke had turned around to stare at her.

"Can you tell me what the answer is to number four?"

Feeling flushed, she hastily mumbled something. It seemed to please Iruka and he kept going with the lesson. Hinata sank down into her chair, but still felt there was a pair of eyes on her somewhere.

She was afraid to look around, to confirm her suspicions. Maybe she was just feeling a little paranoid still from last night. Class couldn't end fast enough for her.


	3. Chapter 3: Sasuke and Hinata

**Author's Note:** Thank you for all the reviews and taking a chance on this story.

 **Disclaimer:** Nothing is mine.

 **Besitos**

Chapter Three: **Sasuke & Hinata**

 **Sasuke**

With the night before still on his mind, Sasuke glanced around at his classmates. Any one of these girls could be Lavender Lotus.

But he limited the field to girls with naturally dark hair. That let out quite a few prospects: Haruno, Sakura and her equally annoying friend, Ino-something.

Hyuga Hinata fit the bill as far as hair and body, but she was way too withdrawn even though she had been a wealthy heiress in high school.

"Ugh, please don't let me drink like that anymore. I was a monster," Naruto moaned, keeping his head planted firmly on the desk.

"I told you that, but you insisted," Sasuke told him, opening his laptop and prepping for class.

"I don't remember anything! Maybe Iruka won't call on me today. Can I look at your answers?" Naruto hadn't bothered bringing anything for class when Sasuke had picked him up today.

"Fine."

"I can't do math. Especially with this hangover." Naruto looked a little green around the gills.

Math came easily to Sasuke; he loved calculating and coming to a simple answer after a specific process. The liberal arts like English were too imperfect, too many ways to interpret something.

"Good morning class," Iruka said cheerfully, setting down his briefcase and turning on the projector.

"Professor Iruka, please don't call on me," Naruto blurted, "I'm super hungover today."

Iruka massaged his temples as the class laughed. "Fine Naruto. Let's get started with class. Hyuga Hinata, please answer number four for us."

Sasuke knew the answer to number four, but Iruka picked Hinata. Ugh. Sasuke listened to her stumble and mumble her way through the problem; watching as she tucked long, silky hair behind her ear, chewing on her lip, and managing to look the same kind of helpless as a puppy.

Again, that hair was the right length and shade. But Hinata?

His phone buzzed against his thigh.

 _Itachi: Wanna grab some lunch after your class? My treat. Meeting a friend at the same time._

Sasuke smirked. Lunch, with his brother? And a friend? Itachi's history of "friends" usually meant some sort of hot girl.

He typed back: _Sure._

Itachi typed back an expensive Italian bistro a few blocks from the school. Sasuke went there only for special treats, like their cannoli's and paninis, when he had finished a semester with all As.

"Where are you headed in such a hurry?" Naruto asked.

"Lunch. With my brother."

"Oh, could I-"

"No, it's private. See you later."

On his way out, Sasuke nearly bumped into Hinata who was busy typing on her own phone.

"Sorry," she mumbled, not looking at him beneath her curtains of hair.

That phrase kept coming to mind when he looked at her. "Curtains of hair." Lavender Lotus has curtains of hair…

Sasuke's stomach rumbled. He set off briskly down the hallway, pushing the phrase from his mind again.

 **Hinata**

A weight had been lifted off her chest once the class was finished for the day. Stupid Naruto. What had she ever seen in him back in the day? He was nothing but an overrated party-boy who peaked in high school.

Itachi texted her that he was picking her up for lunch and that someone was joining them.

While replying, Hinata nearly crashed into Sasuke on her way out. She apologized but didn't dare look at him. It was bad enough she had caught him watching her during class, his brows knitted together, deep in though.

He pushed past her in the hallway, walking briskly.

Thank goodness Itachi wasn't stuck up.

 _Itachi: I'm out near the commons. Can't wait._

 _Hinata: Me either. Class was so tough. I'm ready to relax for a little bit._

 _Itachi: I'm ready to help you. How about a massage? I could start with your feet and work my way up_

 _Hinata: Thanks, but no thanks. Just lunch. See you in a minute._

Outside, the sun shone bright on her face and warmed her skin. Iruka's classroom was always so cold; Math was so cold. Just numbers and formulas. No other interpretations.

Itachi was leaned against his car, suit jacket abandoned on the roof as he played on his phone. Wow he was good-looking. The sun caught his chocolate-colored hair, let down around his shoulders.

"There's my heroine," Itachi said, hugging her tightly.

"There's my hero," she told him, leaning into the embrace. He smelled like a magazine cologne advertisement, where the bottles were sold in very small ounces for triple figures.

"Are you hungry?" He opened her car door.

"Do you have to ask? College student, remember?" She plopped down on the slick leather seat.

"Well, I know how girls are," Itachi told her. "They tend to want to eat a piece of lettuce and drink a sip of water and you're full."

"Not this girl."

"You wouldn't mind if someone else joined us today, would you?" They were soon cruising down the main street to the bistro.

Hinata did mind, but she wasn't going to say anything. She liked spending time with just Itachi.

"No," she lied.

"Okay, good. I thought I could kill two birds with one stone. How are things at the club, really?"

"Oh, they're okay." She wondered vaguely if she should tell him his brother showed up last night with his friends. "Staying safe."

"Good. One night I'll bring some of my business associates by, drum up some money. But I'll warn them to keep hands off."

"Thanks?" Sometimes she didn't know how to take him, whether he was her pimp or her friend.

"Just kidding. Seriously, I think some of the guys do go there. But, your secret is safe with me."

He changed gears. "How is the book coming?"

"Great. Asuma thinks it has a lot of promise out of all the projects this year. He calls it 'life-like' and 'riveting.' How is that latest spy thriller?"

"I've had a case of writer's block. There's been a lot going on at work and then family stuff. My father wants me to spend more time with my brother. He thinks that Sasuke is going the wrong way. I blame that friend of his, Naruto-something."

A little chill went through her as some clues fell into place.

"Who is it that's joining us?" she asked, but suspected that she already knew.

"Sasuke. Since you two are in the same class and all. I thought I might check up on him at the same time. Is that not okay? I can reschedule with h-"

"No. Don't worry about it. It will be fun."

But Hinata felt like she had swallowed a tangle of eels.

Inside the bistro, Itachi found an out of the way place for the three of them. He went ahead and ordered water for all and let Hinata start picking out her food. She couldn't afford to be choosy, even though her stomach churned.

As she was picking out a caprese panini, the door chimed the entrance of a new customer.

"Little brother," Itachi said, standing up and thumping his sibling on the head.

"Itachi," Sasuke growled, but he smirked.

"You know Hinata, I trust. Since you're in the same class and all."

Hinata felt her cheeks heat as Sasuke turned that hard gaze on her next. He offered the briefest of nods and sat down in the chair farthest away.

So much for this lunch being cheerful.

Thankfully, the waitress came back and took their orders.

"Come on, order a cannoli too," Itachi encouraged her. "You don't eat enough Hinata. I know you're going to need your energy later."

"Sure," she squeaked. "Okay."

"And a round of cannoli for the table," Itachi said to the waitress, without waiting for Hinata or Sasuke.

Hinata tried to stay quiet throughout the conversation, pretend she wasn't there.


End file.
